Bridgeport Central's Tyler Ancruml drives to the basket as Stamford defender James Gronberg attempts to draw a charge during their FCIAC boys basketball semifinal game at Fairfield Warde High School in Fairfield, Conn. on Tuesday, March 4, 2014.

Stamford's Kenny Wright has his shot blocked by Bridgeport Central's Sha'quan Bretoux as he drives to the basket during their FCIAC boys basketball semifinal game at Fairfield Warde High School in Fairfield, Conn. on Tuesday, March 4, 2014.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds

If a team hopes to beat No. 1 Central, it has to move just as fast or risk getting caught up in the rolling wave.

Fifth-seeded Stamford was able to keep pace for most of the first half but the Hilltoppers turned up the defensive pressure in the third quarter, rolling to a 66-47 win in the FCIAC semifinals at Fairfield Warde High School.

The No. 1 Hilltoppers will face No. 2 Greenwich in the championship game Thursday at 7 p.m. back at Warde.

The recipe for success in the second half was easy for defending champion Central, playing pressure defense and creating turnovers and transition baskets.

"We were able to get to our spots faster, we were a little sluggish in the first half," Central forward Sha'Quan Bretoux said. "We got to our spots faster and got turnovers. We want to play as fast as we can. Nothing is too fast for us."

Stamford came in focused on stopping Blackwell but the other Central weapons hurt them.

"They are the defending FCIAC champions with their entire team back, they are very good," Stamford coach Danny Melzer said. "The first time we played them compared to tonight, that was a different team out there. They played with 1,000 times more energy tonight. That team is just mentally and physically very tough."

Central closed the first half with a 9-2 run, leading 32-25 at the break.

Coming out of halftime, Central turned up the defense, running out to a 52-35 lead after three.

"The game can't go fast enough for us," Central coach Barry McLeod said. "We want it as hectic as we can make it and that's to our advantage, we feel. If after nine possessions, six or seven are positive, you just have to sit and deal with that because it's a pretty good percentage."

The defensive effort starts with Tyler Ancrum up top, with the hope being the ball never gets past the hounding guards.

"The pressure. Getting their hands up and pressuring the ball handler," McLeod said. "If we can get them to throw the ball just a little higher our back guy can get up and get the passes. We have a good rotation in the back and it helps that they have been with each other for a year or two, no doubt about that."